Exercise PEACEFUL MISSION

Science Affairs Defence

17-Sep-21

Context: Recently, the 6th edition of Exercise Peaceful Mission is being hosted by Russia in the Orenburg Region of South West Russia from 13th to 25th September 2021.
About the exercise

It is a Multilateral and Joint Counter Terrorism Exercise, which is conducted biennially as part of military diplomacy between Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states.
The aim of the exercise is to foster close relations between SCO member states and to enhance the abilities of the military leaders to command multinational military contingents.
India participated for the first time in the 5th edition of the Exercise (2018).
This time Indian military contingent comprising an all arms combined force of 200 personnel including 38 personnel from the Indian Air Force.

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)

It is a permanent intergovernmental international organisation.
Its creation was announced on 15th June 2001 in Shanghai (China) by Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan and was preceded by the Shanghai Five mechanism.
India and Pakistan became members in 2017. Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and Mongolia are observer states.
The SCO Nations, together encompass nearly half the human population on our planet. In terms of geography, it covers approximately three-fifths of the Eurasian continent.
The SCO Charter was signed in June 2002 and entered into force on 19th September 2003.

Aims

Strengthen mutual trust and neighbourliness.
Promote effective cooperation in politics, economy, technology, culture, education, tourism, environmental protection, etc.
Maintain and ensure peace, security and stability in the region.
The Heads of State Council (HSC) is the supreme decision-making body, which meets once a year.
Its chairmanship rotates on a yearly basis and Tajikistan is the chair for 2021.

Official Languages: Russian and Chinese.